SF‘SORRY’FOR FUNERAL HURT
DUP say trust has been lost following storm
SINN fein leaders apologised to families of those who died during lockdown for any hurt caused by the storm over their attendance at an IRA veteran’s funeral.
Party president Mary Lou Mcdonald and deputy leader Michelle O’neill both said sorry yesterday morning.
Ms O’neill is facing calls from the other four parties in the five-party Executive at Stormont to stand down as Deputy First Minister pending police and
Assembly standards investigations into the scenes at Bobby Storey’s funeral, when hundreds gathered in West Belfast this week to say farewell to the senior republican.
She and her colleagues have been accused of flouting the Covid-19 regulations and guidance they helped to set.
The claims have been denied, with Ms O’neill insisting she acted within the rules in respect of all the things
Credibility of health message has been damaged ARLENE FOSTER YESTERDAY
that were within her control, such as the size of the cortege and the numbers attending inside St Agnes’ Church.
The leaders of the North’s five main parties met in an effort to resolve the row yesterday. Ms O’neill later stated: “No family’s grief is more important than another’s.
“I am particularly concerned that grieving families who have lost a loved one during the pandemic had their heartache compounded by the necessary restrictions which were in place at that time.”
Arlene Foster said: “It is important we try to build the trust that has been lost. The Executive has tried to deliver messaging as regards public health guidance to keep our people safe and the credibility of that messaging has been severely damaged over the past week.”
The DUP leader said it had been important the “hurt was recognised” but the apology did not go far enough.